Used 2001 Buick Century Sedan Consumer Reviews
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Great Average car
Bought mine for $1200 off a private seller. It needed and alignment and tires. It also had the ABS and "Trac Off" light on. I bought it with 165,000 miles on it and had a mechanic look over it and do some pressure tests. Only complaint i really have with this car is there is no rpm gauge on the cluster. kind of a pain but i can live with that. The car is extremely comfortable. I have a slightly bad back and driving for long periods of time doesn't mess with my back at all. The electronic seat adjustment helps out a lot too. The dash has a nice setup. Nothing is complicated and its easier to fix that a lot of newer cars. The engine is pretty nice. It holds up well with basic maintenance. With the higher mileage I have on mine I've never had to do anything with it. Previous owner did have to replace the intake manifold gasket, but that's a known problem with the Century. Has the perfect amount of acceleration. It not ridiculously fast but its not slow. Its got some pick up if you need it. You don't need to race in a Century. Once i got the alignment and tire fixed the car rode like it was brand new. Heck, it drove nicer than my brand new Kia Soul did. The car doesn't look flashy, but I still think it looks alright beside the rocker rust that come free with every Century. :-) If you find one for a good deal and you like it get it.
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Great car
I bought this car with 130k miles back in 2012, it now has 175k miles and it's still running strong. The only issue I've had is the a/c stopped working but I can live without it. Very reliable (and surprisingly quick) car. The only complaint I have is the lack of an RPM gauge.
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- Custom SedanMSRP: $1,500169 mi away
- Custom SedanMSRP: $4,667228 mi away
- Custom SedanMSRP: $3,899604 mi away
A good one.
It seems that this model was either spectacular or failed after 33k. Mine seems to be a spectacular one. It has close to 175K and still runs great. It has mostly run on the old green coolant rather than the DEXcool (everywhere you could put coolant it is labeled 'green' from the previous owner). I get an average of 27 MPG from mixed city and highway driving. Once I got 40 on highway! The car is in pretty good shape.
Best car ever
Bouught the Buick used,and haven't regretted it ever. Car has over 250,000 miles on it. I don't baby my cars, quite the opposite. We did replace the engine, but my son never changed the oil the year he had it, so our fault. The engine did have over 150,000 miles on it before it died. I'm driving her til she dies and don't think that will be soon. I drive this car everywhere across the state, on vacation. VERY DEPENDABLE!!!
2001 Buick Centrury Custom 4 Dr
I bought it as a second car to be used around town and local trips. It turns out I liked it so much, I use it as my commuter car for work. Gas mileage is excellent (26 mpg local and 30 mpg highway) and the V6 has plenty of power. What a surprise coming from a chunky Buick. Oh, and the comfort is worth it alone. The ride is very soft, so don't worry about fatigue, just be careful of the sharp curves. At 100K I replaced both axles, tie rods, one brg and did the usual 100k maintenance. There was some coolant loss, most likely due to GM's problem with the V6's, but one can of stop leak did the trick. Overall it's a great car if you don't mind the cigar jokes.
Transmission
I traded in a Buick Regal, which I had really no problems with for 100K+ miles to purchase a uses Century with 20K miles. By 26K miles it started slipping and took it in for service. Replaced some sort of pressure valve, which did nothing. Had it back in 3 more times before it finally died on my wife and had to be towed in. Overhauled the transmission still not operating right. Took it back in for the 5th time last week and will be returning it for the 6th time next week. I imagine the transmission will eventually just need to be replaced completely as it does not appear as thought they have a clue as to what is causing the problem. On the upside, I did not purchase the extended warranty
Catalytic Converter Problems
My Problems started when car was only 6 months old. I have replaced the converter 5 times and had it in for more repairs than anyone should ever have to. I have taken it to repair places other than Buick and they do not know what is wrong. I have contacted GM on many occasions and they keep referring me back to the Buick Dealers mechanics who do not know what is wrong either. I have left the car for days and their mechanics have driven and used up my gas and still no solution. I am retired and have put 8000 dollars into this in repairs as they tell me first it need this and then something else the next time, I am at my wits end.
bad transmission
Transmission went bad at 43000 miles called dealer and told them and told me "tough luck, I should of bought the extended warranty.' Now coasting me 2000 dollars for new transmission. I take very good care of the car. Will never buy GM product again or buy from GEIS motors in peekskill
Not bad for Buick
I have a 2001 Buick Century and havent had too many problems with it. At about 140,000 miles i got that normal thing with buicks where the anitfreeze mixes with the oil and that was about a $900 fix but other than that that is the biggest issue ive had only other things are the drivers side window motor had to be replaced, had to get a new o2 sensor and brakes but thats just from the almost 200,000 miles that are on it, but definetly a reliable vehicle all year round.
Costly Repairs at 64K Easy Miles
Bought this car new. Babied it from day one. Still, at 64K, already had front wheel bearing, alternator, Intake manifold gasket and valve cover, left front tie rod, oil pan gasket all go bad. Total cost $4300. Seems way too much maintenance on this car.
The good the bad and the truth
I like the looks and the good gas milage. The car rides good for a mid- size. There are lots of extras that make the car convenient to drive. But there are many blind spots that make it difficult to see to the side or back when trying to shift lanes. The car lacks power but is sufficient for any one who is not in a race. Take heed to those who say transmission troubles appear about 65000 miles. They are telling the truth.Be prepared to spend $1500-$2500 on another transmission. Other than the expense of a transmission you may have a dependable car.
My first Buick!
What a Value! We bought this car with the 0% financing for 60 months and love it. Our two kids fit fine and we don't miss our minivan. I'd recommend this car to young couples, it's a lot of comfort and space for the money. The secret bonus is that insurance rates are really cheap in this vehicle. We went from our used minivan (value $4000) to this new Century (value $19000) and our insurance rate actually went down! I couldn't believe it.
Great car
Bought a 2001 Century for CAN $1600.00 ($1200.00 USD) with only 88000 km on it (around 55000 miles). Had to change the thermostat and had one occurrence with a no crank situation that took a little shaking of the battery to resolve due to, possibly, bad connection because of dirty poles. Car has no rust previous owner had it treated every year. Super comfortable, easy ride, great heater (I live in Canada). Just love it.
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Great first car
I inherited this car from my grandmother and it made a great first car. It can handle running over curbs and forgetting an oil change or two. It has been incredibly reliable. I am currently looking for a car with better gas mileage since I drive so far but any one who gets this car is in for a treat. It may not look like much but it gets you from a to b every time.
Good value and ride
I bought this car used w/ 29k, I'm now turning 133k. Car has been very comfortable and reliable thus far, very few items to fix. I drive 70mi each way to work, so comfort was a key, and I have not been disappointed at all. Acceleration is more than adequate for around town and on / off ramps. Sound system good. Fits all 3 kids in the back comfortably and still gets pretty good mileage.
Great Family Car.
If you are looking for a solid performing, roomy reliable car at reasonable price, this is the car for you. Solid Buick make with alot of extras for the price. Great car for a growing family like mine. Engine is smaller than the Regal or LeSabre but since my car is used about 7000 miles a year, it was fine for me. Highly Recomended
Best- value car!
I bought this Century two years ago and have enjoyed it as the best-value car I have had in 20 years for what I paid for. CD, ABS, and many features are standard. It rides comfortably and can sit 6 people with a large trunk. I recommend it to my friend, and he bought another one and still enjoys it!
Poorly Built, GM deserves it's troubles
We Bought this car because of a previous good experience with a 1997 model. This car is a disaster. This car belongs to a grandma that has it serviced regularly at her local Firestone.THis car rarely get up over 45 mph, It drives to the local stores and back. It had a Catastrophic Transmission failure at 33,000 miles costing 2,500 dollars. The cruise control never worked. too many rattles in the dash board and instrument panel to list. And no at 38,000 miles leaking head / manifold gaskets losing coolant with no warning lights going of due to low coolant level. The low washer fluid light works though!
POS-All those high ratings are after previous owner spent $$$$
FACT - all those high ratings come from people who got the Century after previous owner put $$$ into it. ALL GM 3100's & 3400s for about 7 years had the problem with the Lower Intake Manifold gasket - ALL of them. This was a $1,400 repair at the dealership and the was a class action suit that GM agreed to settle for about $800 per owner but it was opened in 2007 & closed in 2008. Mine happened @ 58k miles 19 days after the close & they told me Tough Luck. Also they changed me over $300 to clear out the cooling system & replace thermostat and hoses after the GM DEX-COOL antifreeze turned into clumps of sludge and clogged the radiator and cooling system. Cost me $1,000s to keep running.
Terrific Transportation Appliance
My Dad gave me his 2001 Buick Century Limited SE as he didn't really drive much any more, so I have been discovering the Zen of the "Gateway To Luxury" (the marketing phase for this entry level Buick). Seriously, it's not so much a car as a terrific transportation appliance - it gets great gas mileage for a mid-size, super quiet, super comfortable (they should patent those seats in the 60/40 split bench!) Excellent 8 speaker stereo, great outward visibility. The Limited SE means full leather seating, cruise control, auto dimming rear view mirror and more - it's like a mini-Regal without the supercharged engine and premium gas! And this thing has a ginormous trunk! I have put 5 golf bags in there. And no maintenance issues so far (my dad did pretty meticulous maintenance, but did have to fix the transaxle at 90k) The Zen is: DON'T RUSH and you don't really have a choice. The car rides brilliantly so long as you DON'T RUSH. Rush through a corner and you'll end up on someone's front lawn. But nobody does, which is why the insurance rates are hilariously low. I like it, two thumbs up.
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Look out for 100k miles
I didn't get to pick this vehicle nor would i again. however, i'm also not 75 years old. For the time I had this vehicle, it did what it needed to do until 100k miles. I probably replaced my intake gaskets 3x on this car in 5 years. Buick used a cheap plastic part instead of metal. This caused a lot of issues. My buick overheated quite often due to these issues as well. It was finally laid to rest when the engine started smoking like crazy after driving it. To be fair, i paid $4k for this car and got 8 years out of it. I also put easily $6k into repairing the thing. Aside from mechanical issues and the fact that it's usually driven by grandmas, it was relatively comfortable. Considering it was a 2001, the sound system was ok, (concert theater II). it did alright in the South Dakota winters as long as the tires were good and you didn't drive like a teenager. Reasonable passenger/cargo space.
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Watch out for the transmission!
The car has had a catastrophic transmission failure at 33,000 miles. We had a 1997 Model that was totaled in a wreck with no problems during the time we owned it. We bought this one because of that reason, big mistake. There are problems with this 4T65E model transmission used in many GMC models. They include pressure problems internally, noise, and bearing failures. These failures are often on low mileage, well maintained vehicles. Buyes of used vehicles watch out.
Buick Century
This has been the best and most dependable vehicle I have ever owned. After almost 6 years of ownership, I have not had any mechanical problems. The only defect has been a window motor. I plan to purchase another Buick as a result of my experience with this car.
Current Owner Review
Drives good. Has had to have above average maintence,of braking system, and service warning light system {Example: Service Engine Soon Light,Warning etc.] Some unacounted road noise, from rear of vehicle.
Solid, no-nonsense midsize sedan!
The 2001 Buick Century was a hand-me-down from my grandmother when I was in high school. It had around 70k miles on it and was in great shape until I went to college and its frame rotted away in my parents' driveway. Being a moody teenage boy I definitely was NOT its most responsible owner, but it still worked pretty well throughout most of my time with it! These 3100 V6's have an earned reputation for reliability. However, the biggest issue was that there was coolant leaking into the intake manifold at one point. This apparently is a chronic issue for these cars per my research (aka a google search). Also, the gas gauge would sometimes fluctuate back and forth during the first few minutes of a drive. Otherwise, the seats were incredibly comfortable, as was the very soft suspension. By no means is this Buick a fast car; but merging was no problem with plenty of power, solid visibility, and a predictable four-speed auto. It's got clumsy handling but it's almost charming at times, if not entertaining on backroads. Also, this car has a very nice turning radius for easy parking. If you're in the market for a cheap, reliable midsize sedan, such as the Accord or Camry, give the Buick Century some thought. You probably won't be disappointed.
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Smooth ride - perfect for families
Our Buick is a very comfortable vehicle that I very much enjoy driving. At 30 and 27, we are well below Buick's target age, but I wouldn't trade it for anything! We have had no problems with the car other than the driver door needing to be re-greased and a tendency for the brake light to come on when the parking brake is set on an incline (nothing in the computer and the dealership says it is working according to specs.) all of which was addressed at about 31000 miles. Fuel mileage is fine - actually great on the highway. I would definitely purchase another one. My only gripe so far has been with the remote access key fob (see below)
Great Ride!
Bought this car to take long trips across country & back. About to make the fourth long trip! Also use for commute each day. It's very comfortable, roomy, smooth on highways, safe in snow. Have replaced tires, brakes, from normal wear & tear. Light bulbs in headlamps & tail lamps seem to go out frequently compared to other cars we've had. Teenager needs a car & they will get the new one-I will keep driving the Buick!
Great Car!
I bought my Buick new. It was my first Buick but I was willing to take a risk. It is much better than the Fords I owned in the past. I have 104k miles on it now and it had no trouble. I think that I need a new battery soon though. The car handles great in the snow. When this car was a year old, I was hit by a Chrysler PT Crusier into the left rear door. I was amazed that all there was a pin scratch that was hard to even see!
Great all around car
Great all around car. Fuel economy 20 - 22 in town, 30 - 34 on trips. Adequate power. Runs at high speeds effortlessly. A lot of interior room and trunk space. Good ride and handling, good visability. No problems to date, absolutely reliable We bought it new for just under $ 20,000, very well equiped. A really good car for the money.
great car
No problems with vehicle whatsoever. I drive mostly on surface streets, which tends to be harder on any vehicle, and this car has been outstanding. Would not think twice about buying another.
Great reliable car
I bought this car used and I would have kept it forever, until I ran the wheels off. It had 168828 miles on it when a tree fell on it totaling it. It never once stranded me, OI never had any major issues. We put new front brakes and a battery in it, just a few months ago. Besides that, just the normal maintenance, and an O2 sensor that cost 10.00 right after we bought it. I am disabled and have bad back and knee issues but this car was comfortable on my back even on road trips. I never had a minutes trouble with it and I am now looking for another Buick
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2001 Buick Century Custom.
I had this handed to me as my first car, don't remember much about it but I know it had over 130k miles and it was leaking oil. I had it for 2 weeks until I fell asleep at 6 AM and crashed into an utility pole with it. cracked the pole in half and totalled the car. But i was perfectly fine, walked away with a tiny scratch over my eyebrow from the airbag.
excellent
I enjoy my buick century in every way. It is easy to park and rides very nice.
Wonderful Commute
I commute 1 hour each way to work 22 days a month and the ride is a pleasure! I have long legs and there is plenty of room for them and the seating is perfect for my back. I bought this car used for the price, ride and space especially for the commute and I was pleasantly surprised to get 30 MPG to boot! I have a family of 4 with 2 young kids and the the comfort is amazing. The only issue I have is the extended life coolant system which I flushed after 60000. I have never owned a Buick but this car has me looking for another one.
MY econo buick
Very good on fuel if you get to speed and hold it steady ive hit 36mpg with many 35 miles per gallon. THe car rewards easy driving with cash back.
Boring
I have driven this car very softly and I guess it paid off for not having any problems with the car. It is now 91,000 miles on that thing. But I tell you what. it is such a boring drive, so I wanna trade it in ever single time I finish driving it. I feel the vechile is hung a little too high. but it's a good car just for seating for adults.
Reliable, Comfortable and Economical
I bought this car new three years ago and I am very pleased. Nothing has gone wrong. I especially enjoy the bench seats - I can seat six people in a car that is not really that big. I get 31 mpg on the highway - incredable for a mid-size car. The only improvement I would make would be a little more power. I wish it came with the 3.8 litre engine instead of the 3.1
Why you should buy a boring Buick...
You may think this car is just for old folks. Well, it's not. I'm in my early 30's and was sold on this car after driving many different brands as rentals. For the price (under $20K) I got a great sedan with lots of standard features. It is the most comfortable car I've driven for long hauls (500+ miles w/no leg soreness or neck stiffness at all). It is family friendly, very reliable, and looks good, too. Give it a chance... for the $ it is well worth it.
Excellent vehicle
I've had this vehicle for 2 months short of 5 years, and I'm extremely happy with it. The best vehicle I've had ever.
great value; quiet on the road
looking for a quiet car; this is it I cannot believe the change in road noise with this caar. the side mirrors need to be redesigned; I must readjust them when I want to park the car I love the way the back seat folds in 2 parts and the fact that both front seats are completely adjustable handles well on and off the highway; great mileage too
great car
The car is very dependable. I've had no problems with it. The odometer is at 165,000. Handles well in winter weather--starts easily during those sub-zero mornings.
Love This Car
Bought this car used from my father with 51,000 miles. I now have 78,000. I haven't had any of the transmission problems that some have had, and my father didn't either. The car is very comfortable, has a nice sound system, is very solid, (no rattles), and awesome gas mileage. I average 25 city, and my best highway is 32 mpg! My only complaint is that it is equipped with OnStar that is no longer available. I wish GM would have come up with a solution for some kind of adapter so I could still have the security. It has adequate power for my needs. If you want more, look into the Buick Regal in the same years as this model was produced. Would recommend this car to anyone.
This is a good car
This is a great car. I have 80k on it and not one problem. This car has a soft ride and comfortable interiors. I am selling this car to a family member to purchase my next card. Great used car.
Transmission bad at 69,000 miles
Transmission had to be replaced at 69,000 miles. Buick does not stand behind their product. I will never purchase or suggest anyone else purchase a Buick and it used to be the car of my dreams!
Still Rolling
Purchased used in 2003 with 38K. Previous life was a rental. Now with over 150K all types of things have gone wrong in the past 12 months. Intake manifold leaking, cruise control out & gas gauge undependable. However I have not had any brake, exhaust, or tranny problems, and the car always started! No rust on body either. Time to trade in or give to charity, but it was a very good investment.
Big bad Bertha
Bertha is tired.
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Who knew
I got my Buick Century by chance. It didn't appeal to me in looks. But, in the first week I had it, it took me and a 3 yr. old grandson on a 400 mile journey that was so comfortable that I was't tired. The gas mileage is outstanding as compared to what I had been driving. After 2 years, I couldn't be happier. Buick's rule!
Decent Daily Commuter
Acquired at 1 year old and 9K miles on it. Ride quality, steering, power, and comfort have all been more than adequate and often pleasurable. Nice base features, all around a nice car. Been in twice for warranty work - rear tail light assembly and right rear power window motor. Although inconvenient, the servicing dealership was superb in every way. I am somewhat nervous as my warranty expiration is approaching. So Far - So good. No significant complaints. But I dont have any experience with these cars at 3 years plus.
Every day is a lovely DAY!!
This car is a great car to own!! A real pleasure to own, to drive or to ride in. It is always ready to go and responds quickly, smoothly to the driver's
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Best 750.00 bucks I've spent
Bought this car 3 years ago only thin I've done was change the oil great back up car
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